'Wonder goal' sinks Tiger boys soccer

For the Alamogordo Tigers, it is a new season. Non-district play is over, and now they can focus on the district.

Alamogordo lost 3-2 to Hobbs on Saturday afternoon at a much drier Riner-Steinhoff Soccerplex. After being shutout in their last two matches, the Tigers did not wait to get on the board.

Two minutes into the match, Alamogordo scored on senior midfielder Lane McKinley's rocket kick, giving the Tigers an early 1-0.

The lead was short-lived because two minuets later, Hobbs scored on a Tiger defensive breakdown to knot the game at one.

Early in the game, Alamogordo played like a team desperate to end their five-game losing streak. Playing with a sense of urgency, the Tigers continuously hustled to the ball and stayed positive despite Hobbs' early goal.

In the 17th minute, Alamogordo had a chance to score on a corner kick by senior forward Seth Reynolds, but the ball took the bad bounce. In the 15th minute, Hobbs scored on a bullet kick that went over senior Austin Tally's head touched the top of the goal.

"We were undone today by just a 'wonder goal,'" head coach Jason Atkinson said. "That strike right there maybe happens once, twice out of 50 times, so that was a 'wonder goal.'"

Advertisement

A few minutes later, Reynolds made a great shot on the goal, but it sailed wide left. At the 14 minute mark, Tally took responsibilities into his own hands as he went out of the goalie box and snatched the ball, doing anything to prevent the Eagles from scoring. Just as the first half was coming to an end, junior Danny Lovett attempted to tie the game with a hard shot on goal, but the Hobbs goalie made the stop. Alamogordo trailed 2-1 at halftime.

In the second half, sophomore Josh Rodriguez had a beautiful strike, but hit the crossbar.

As the second half progressed, the Tigers continued to have their chances. Reynolds made another great attempt but was wide left. Meanwhile, Hobbs senior striker Ernesto Tejada scored on a shot that ricocheted into the goal, giving the Eagles a 3-1 lead at the 32-minute mark.

Alamogordo tried to get their offense going by attempting shots 10 yards away, but the ball just could not find the back if the net. At the 25-minute mark, Reynolds and McKinley tag-teamed and made a great effort attacking the Hobbs goalie, but the shot was off.

At the 19-minute mark, Alamogordo had a golden opportunity as Rodriguez made a direct kick that went into goalie's hands. With the Tigers down 3-1 in extra time, sophomore Seth Torres scored on a header with an assist by freshman Trenton Tapley, giving the Tigers some hope. But it was too little too late as the Tigers fell 3-2.

Alamogordo's record is now 4-8, but heads are still high.

"We were playing good, but they got some really good goals that are one in a million," said senior midfielder Chris Rollerson. "I don't know how the first one went in."

District play starts for the Tigers as they will have a date with Gadsden on Sept 24. Despite the loss, Atkinson said he and his team are treating the district as a "fresh start."

"It is a new season, in essence, and our goal is to get that first district win," Atkison said. "I feel like it is going to come."